Borussia Dortmund boss Jurgen Klopp has revealed he is monitoring the progress of highly-rated Germany Under-21 international midfielder Leonardo Bittencourt at Hannover 96.

Bittencourt, 20, left Signal Iduna Park for the HDI–Arena last summer but a clause in his contract, which expires in June 2017, allows Dortmund to re-sign him at any time.

The Germany youth international has become a first-team regular at Hannover after struggling to compete with the likes of İlkay Gündoğan and Nuri Şahin for a place in the starting XI at Dortmund.

“Leonardo Bittencourt is a player we are keeping tabs on,” Klopp told Deutsche Presseagentur.

“He has become very good in front of goal and played a lot of decisive passes at the same time.

“He definitely is now the starlet we recognised when we signed him for Borussia Dortmund from Energie Cottbus. He is a great talent.”

With several reports linking Gündoğan with a summer move abroad, Klopp could decide to bring back Bittencourt, who has bagged four goals and four assists in 24 Bundesliga matches this term, for a bargain fee instead of splashing the cash elsewhere.

Bittencourt is priced at16/1to score first when Hannover visit Hoffenheim in midweek.